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can't connect to mysql server on local host

For those of you getting the "can't connect to mysql server on 'local host'" message:

I have been tackling this issue for the past four days and with some guided direction from drzoid in the 'configure your server' forum, I've figured out how to get rid of that annoying error message. It was my firewall.

I am running Norton and here's what I did:
1. Open Norton and click on personal firewall > configure
2. In the new windows click on the tab that says Program Control
3. Find your programs ( for me mysql.exe and mysqld-nt.exe) and click on them
4. Change your internet access to Permit All

Afer I made these changes I was able to finally start doing mysql commands at the command prompt.

I am posting this here in the hopes that the next person who stumbles across this problem will do a search in these forums and find this message. Maybe I'll save someone four days of headache!

1) I tried running winmysqladmin.exe
2) This gave me an error saying it was missing a .dll file
3) I downloaded a different version of MySQL, one where installation was not required, and I could just dump the mysql files/folders - I backed up my tables before doing this.
4) Removed the my.ini file that mysql uses and the folder, I tried to make the mysql folder to basically start from scratch.
5) I got winmysqladmin.exe to run this time without any problems - but localhost kept complaining.
6) I stopped the mysql service and looked at the documentation and tried assigning a new password to mysql (its in the documentation)
7) I changed the password and I made a few changes - and at last it worked - no errors!

Me too I've been having this problem. MySQL was working fine but now it says "stopped".

I went to Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services and under MySQL I clicked on "Start" but it gives me this error message:
"Could not start the MySQL service on local computer. Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified."

What the hell is that? Anyone have any idea of how I can fix this? I've already re-installed MySQL a few times but same thing.